Why Spokane attics get mold
Spokane winters bring weeks of freezing nights. Inside, the house is warm and full of moisture from showers, cooking, laundry and the people living there. Warm air rises, and it gets into the attic through recessed lights, the attic hatch, plumbing and wiring holes, and gaps around the chimney.
Once that air reaches a roof deck sitting below freezing, its moisture turns into frost on the nails and sheathing. When the weather warms up, the frost melts and soaks the wood. A few cycles a year don’t do much. Several winters of it, and the north side of the roof deck is usually the first place you’ll see staining.
The usual suspects that make it worse:
- A bathroom fan ducted into the attic instead of outside
- Soffit vents buried under blown-in insulation
- Too little insulation, or insulation pulled back around fixtures
- A dryer vent that’s disconnected or leaking
What to expect
A company will look at the staining, check whether the wood is still damp, check the fan ducts and vents, and look at the insulation. The quote should cover cleaning the wood, any insulation work, and the fixes for ventilation and air leaks. If those fixes aren’t in the quote, ask who will do them, because cleaning the wood without them tends to buy you a few winters at most.
If you’re selling a home and an inspector flagged the attic, note your closing date on the form.